Final Examination Schedule Revisions

Beginning fall quarter 2016, please note that changes were made to the final examination schedule.

The schedule for final examinations has been revised to add final examinations on Fridays during the fall and winter quarters in addition to the scheduled finals on Monday through Thursday. Spring final examinations will still be scheduled Monday through Thursday in spring 2018. The final examination schedules for fall 2017 and winter 2018 can be found below.

Final Examination Policies

Final examinations are required in all undergraduate courses unless the department or other agency sponsoring the course has obtained permission from the Committee on Educational Policy to evaluate students in another manner. Final examinations are only given during the examination-week period at the time announced in the Schedule of Classes, usually in the same room used for class meetings during the quarter. No change in the time or date of a final examination may occur unless the course sponsoring agency has obtained the approval of the Committee on Educational Policy (CEP). Requests must be received by CEP not later than the first week of the quarter in which the course is occurring. Completion or submission of final examinations or papers for undergraduate courses is not allowed during the regular term’s period of instruction, including the closed week before final examinations. When finals are administered (not during week 10), they must be completed at the scheduled examination time and may not require more than the scheduled three-hour time block. If a take-home examination is not assigned until the week designated for final examinations, it cannot require more than three hours to complete.

To avoid three final examinations on the same day, students may want to consider the final exam schedule when enrolling in courses.

Instructors may bar students from taking the examination if they arrive late. If a student misses an examination due to an unavoidable emergency, the instructor may agree to give an Incomplete and schedule a makeup examination provided that the student’s work is passing up to that point. When a final examination is one of the regular requirements in a course, no one taking the course may be individually exempted from it. Travel plans for vacation are not an emergency, and should not be made without checking the final examination schedule.

Closed Week

No examinations or tests other than laboratory exams, quizzes, or individual makeup exams may be given during the last week of instruction.

Examination Retention

An instructor may release to individual students the original final examinations (or copies). Otherwise, the instructor will retain final examination materials at least until the end of the next regular term. During that time students will be allowed to review their examinations.

Religious Observance

Given the diversity of religious practice within the campus community, academic and administrative units are encouraged to make reasonable accommodation when the schedule of a required campus event conflicts with an individual’s religious creed. It is the official policy of the University of California, Santa Cruz, to accommodate, without penalty, requests for alternate examination times in cases where the scheduled time for the examination violates a student’s religious creed.

Requests for accommodation for religious observance must be made directly to the faculty member in charge of the course within the first two weeks of the term or as soon as possible after an examination date is announced. Instructors are expected to make reasonable accommodation for such requests. Students who are unable to reach a satisfactory arrangement with an instructor should consult the head of the unit sponsoring the course.

Accommodations for Disability

Students with documented disabilities that require examination modifications will be accommodated in compliance with state and federal laws. Reasonable accommodations will be made based on recommendations from the Disability Resource Center.